


Blood Iron

by Jcrust6



Series: Blood Iron [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, F/F, Red Lotus AU, Suicidal Thoughts, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26643961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jcrust6/pseuds/Jcrust6
Summary: Kuvira is in jail, alone with her thoughts and her emotions. She never feels as if she will leave her prison, how could she anyways? Who would let a metal bender, who could bend the iron in someone's body, free?
Relationships: Kuvira/P'li (Avatar)
Series: Blood Iron [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938421
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Its 5am and im gay (thank u for reading)

The dust of the prison cell shifts and swirls. Kuvira’s neck aches as she rises from the depths of her sleep. The floor was unforgiving and cold. Her arms creaked and popped as she slid up the wall. A gasp escapes her; her exhaustion clinging to the rims of her eyes. They burned, as well as her throat, and she stayed in place.

All she could do was stay. She could only sit and think and ponder and wonder. Hope was futile, and to cling onto any hope that she may one day leave this prison was useless. Many days she would stare off into nothing and imagine an elaborate life she could be living outside of here. Isolation was maddening, but at the very least, her prison was spacious. She would loop around the perimeter of the prison for hours, talking quietly to herself as she mindlessly daydreamed. She would become incredibly attached to this fantasy, so much so that it ended up being the only thing that kept her going.

But waking up was always a pain. It was the brief moment where she had to be truthful to herself, where she was reminded that she was doomed to rot in a prison of platinum forever. How there was no one for her, no one left for her. Kuvira found herself refusing to wake up, trying to linger in the whimsy of dreaming for as long as she could.

Even if her dreams were no better than her reality.

She had supposed that maybe, clinging to these fantasies _ was “ _ hoping”, but she found no purpose in debating herself when her reality was inevitable: she was never going to leave.

Time blurred. The worst part of the day was being brought food by the guards. It reminded her of what time it was, how much of the day was left, whether it was morning or night. She wished they would have just let her starve, sometimes. Maybe then she could be...

A guard enters her cell abruptly. Kuvira glares at him with a cold, calculating stare. Her eyes were dark and tinged with the pain of waking up. She had barely moved from the position she put herself in earlier.

“Breakfast.” The guard placed the food in the center of the room, sure to keep his distance from her. It was maddening. They had removed her chains ages ago, knowing that they could risk being close to her without being killed due to how damaged her mind became. They thought she was a joke. They thought she was defeated. They thought she had given up.

Kuvira didn’t respond to the guard and instead looked directly at him. She hoped this would elicit a reaction from him. She didn’t expect there to be one. Shockingly, however, the guard did appear a bit unnerved. A small grin crept from her face as she maintained that eye contact.

“You know-” the guard started, “I’m not afraid of you. I- I may be new but- well the others said i shouldn't be worried. So im NOT.” He sounded as if he were convincing himself, which amused Kuvira ever so slightly.

_ “Oh?” _ Kuvira’s voice echoed across the room and saturated their space with the thick, raspy, dark glaze it carried. She shifted and propped her arm on her knee, making the guard flinch in response.

“DON’T- don’t move!! I have orders to…” he hesitated.

Kuvira said nothing. She watched his movements carefully, studying his body language. She normally wouldn’t have said a thing to  _ any _ guard, but for once, she was mildly amused by someone’s fear of her.

Being trapped for 6 years can make you a little desperate for something new.

She would’ve loved to toy with him, make him afraid, say something bitter and cold and hurt his feelings. She had missed the rush of being  _ commanding _ . Something about this felt nostalgic, although, a bit pathetic at the same time. The guard assumed a stance of “confidence” once more, pointing a large stick at her.

“You’re in here for a reason. And you know what? How pitiful is- is it that you’re slumped on the ground and I’m the one feeding you? Huh?” His voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard. She had heard far worse from other guards, and she began to wonder if “try to make fun of Kuvira” was part of the guard training. 

But she decided to bite.

“Come here” she demanded. She let a laugh spill out of her lips that cracked and crumbled from the ache of her unused voice. It was disturbing at best,

The guard had frozen in place before swiftly backing up. His bravado evaporated before her eyes.

_ “Are you afraid of me? _ ” Her voice pierces his heart, sending him off into a panicked shuffle before he finally shuts the door.

Kuvira smiles to herself. That was quite an interaction, even if minimal. She ran her hand through her hair, careful to take her time with it. As her hand ran down her scalp, she let out an exasperated sigh before looking up at the ceiling. She let her hand fall down to her throat, nurturing it. It felt weird to use her voice after so long, and to have it used against such a pathetic person. But she tried to embrace the new feeling, or at least, an old one.

She allowed herself to fantasize about that guard slipping up. How he would regretfully feel sorry for her, let something slip, make a mistake, She delighted herself in the idea of him being careless in his actions and giving her a means to  _ bend _ again. That maybe, he would leave his house keys in his pocket, or wear his metal glasses and  _ somehow _ get by the guards in them. She still couldn’t get over her desire to be able to bend once more. If she hoped at all, she did hope to toy with metal. She had missed the euphoric and electrifying sensation metalbending had given her. She missed being able to totally overpower her opponents. Most of all, she missed being able to use the power that got her in here in the first place.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip, her head against the wall.

She truly yearned to be able to bend the metal in someone’s body again. It was incredibly taboo, often compared to blood bending but  _ worse _ . She missed being able to feel someone's iron content move up their blood and out of their body. She missed being such a threat. She missed seeing the shocked faces of those who watched her pull iron out of someone's body. It was grotesque, it was painful, but it was hers. Kuvira found herself playing into this fantasy a bit, thinking of all the ways this new guard could mess up in her favor. Maybe he would stand a little too close one day, if either of them dared to be so bold.

She thought over her downfall, how she was stopped by the avatar in the Spirit World, how she freaked out, 

how she tried to bend the iron out of Suyin upon first seeing her. Not to mention the others as well.

_ “Stupid…” _ she whispered.

She had exposed herself so carelessly, at the last second too. She failed anyways. The Avatar had already destroyed her weapon and her dignity, and then punched her square in the temple as she tried to commit that act of taboo. Kuvira supposed Korra was truly fed up, which is why she resisted it so easily.

Suyin had looked almost  _ dead _ at that moment. She looked betrayed. Kuvira sighed a bit, lingering on that expression her not-mother gave her. Knowing that her not-daughter was going to kill her. Knowing that she  _ messed up _ ...right? It wasn’t Kuvira who messed up, right? After all, her not-mother tried to kill her first...she had no place to judge.

But it still hurt. To see that she was surprised at all after always assuming bad faith in Kuvira. It made her wonder if she had any hope for her, any small presence of love and hope for her, any indication that she was her  _ daughter. _ But she would never know. Suyin never visited her, never spoke to her or sent her any letters.

Her only visitor was the Avatar.

Who admittedly, was conflicting to see. Because after all, the Spirit World was quite an experience for the both of them.

Kuvira somewhat realized she was sapphic then.

But that's besides the point. It was pointless to ponder because frankly, she was still upset that the Avatar had assumed anything about her life. How she felt she  _ knew _ how Suyin was, how she treated her, how  _ utterly fake _ she was.

But it’s all pointless now.

\-----------

After what she assumed to be an hour, she finally touched her food. This became a matter of habit; for whatever reason, she wasn't sure. She took her time to eat, savoring every bite of feeling it gave her. Eating was grounding, in a way, which was unfortunately necessary if she didn’t want to totally lose herself. It, like many other things, was humiliating to participate in. She had hated eating because of how particular it became. She became so focused on making  _ eating _ feel like  _ living _ that it took her way too much time and way too much thought. It was inefficient. It was annoying, and yet she still troubled herself to make a point to be so specific. 

Kuvira often wondered if they would do anything if she were to just stop eating. Do they care enough about their jobs and titles to help her? Would they just let her rot, as if she wasn't already? The thought would cross her mind often, which initially was rather troubling. But being locked away from the entire world somewhat numbed her reactions to such thoughts. She knew that ultimately, everything was hopeless. She would much rather die having suffered than to be seen starved and destroyed by guards making minimum wage. At the very least, holding out made her feel like herself.

If she remembers “herself” correctly, that is.

The rest of the day was filled with the dizzy lust of her daydream, She had been unknowingly acting it out with her hands while walking around. She had shuffled her feet against the edges of the walls for absolutely no reason. She, yet again, had another maddening day.

Just,, another day.

Another day in the year, another day in her week, just one less day until her death. Just one less day until her last breath. It was almost thrilling to imagine.

Almost.

Kuvira sat in the corner of the room. She had stayed there for hours, shutting off her mind, detaching herself from her senses. She stared at the ground and picked at the floor until her nails chipped.

And then.

She heard a large clang from outside the hall. She shifted, hitching her breath and focusing her attention on the sound. She turned her head quickly towards the door, eyes widening as she prepared herself for whatever that was.

The screams of guards harmonized. The clang became more repeated, and then, an explosion.

Kuvira counted, three beats and then a boom.

Kuvira straightened her back, eagerly looking towards the door. Her hair began to flow slightly as she felt a small breath of air pass her. She focused on the door yet again.

_ ‘There's a crack in the door’ _

“STOP STOP-” The door blasted open. The new guard was thrown into the middle of the room by a tall woman. Kuvira averted her powerful stare from the guard up to the woman.

“Catch.” The woman threw her a decently sized piece of metal. Kuvira caught it and felt her nerves pulsate beneath her. She looked back at the sputtering guard with menace.

“Please- please im so sorry for my words earlier please don’t hurt me I'm-” He continued to sob. The taller woman kicked him closer to Kuvira.

Kuvira bit the inside of her mouth. She cracked her hands in mysterious ways and shaped the metal to resemble a comb. She contorted her hands cryptically as she changed the shape of the metal. The guard seemed to become increasingly more tense as she did this.

She brought the metal closer and closer to his neck. She toyed with his fear. She melted in the absolute horror he was feeling. The cry in his voice, the shuddering he exhibited. He was at her feet, and she was finally… _ finally _ given the upper hand.

“Sing for me” Kuvira whispered in his ear. He shivered and tried to back away before feeling his entire body creak forwards. He could no longer speak.

His arms tried to resist against the strain. A pained gasp escaped him. Kuvira curled her fingers slowly and he bent towards her in response. She raised her hand and he stood up, his limbs moving wickedly. He dared to look down at Kuvira. In response, she snaked the metal up his leg and to his chest.

She felt the beat of his heart against the metal. She closed her eyes and hummed to herself. She located every bit of metal in his body.

_ Finally. _

She drilled the metal straight into his heart, spreading it into his body, and extracting every last bit of it out through his chest in a singular pillar. His face sallowed and he dropped to the floor.

Kuvira stood up, barely hiding the smile that tainted her face and looked up to the woman. The woman extended her hand, smiling at her impressive display of power.

“Let’s get you out of here, Great Uniter.”

  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gay

Kuvira’s sunken eyes blazed at the guards corpse. She stood there silently for a moment, examining the work she had done. She felt her blood rushing through her body, a hushed excitement brimming over her heart. She sighed slightly, redirecting her gaze to the taller woman. She hadn’t said a word to her yet.

The taller woman crossed her arms and chuckled. She met Kuvira’s eyes. 

“Well, not bad after being jailed for 6 years. I was expecting you to be a bit rusty.” She grabbed Kuvira’s hand and pulled her towards the door. Kuvira stepped over the guards body. She quickly looked back at his corpse, deciding to quickly reclaim the metal trapped in his chest. Kuvira let herself be led on by this woman, examining her movements and demeanor to properly assess her intentions. She wasn’t entirely sure if she could trust her yet, but at the very least, she was helping her escape. Even if she wasn’t trustworthy, at least she could exploit some weakness she had and use it to her advantage. Though, she wasn’t sure what that was just yet.

The woman walked through the doorway, careful to step over the bodies of the once-living guards. The entire hallway was in shambles. The air was thick with the dust of concrete, parts of the wall had caved in, and every single guard laid motionless on the floor. Further up in the hall, the floor began to cave into itself, creating a pretty substantial hole. Kuvira had found herself grimacing at the corpses littered carelessly across the floor. She was careful to avoid stepping on them. She wasn’t one to be bothered by these kinds of displays of violence, but these were far more brutal than anything she had ever done. She glanced up at the woman, shocked that such a powerful person had come to save her. It was almost terrifying, but at the same time, it was alluring.

“You don’t talk much or something?” the woman started, “I heard you speak to that guard, but that’s it.” Kuvira felt a hitch in her throat but remained silent.

“I understand, your voice must be wrecked,” she laughed and continued navigating her out of the prison, “I’m P’Li.”

P’Li turned back and smiled at Kuvira. Kuvira took notice of the tattoos on her forehead, piecing together the cause of the destruction. P’Li looked up at her forehead and back down at Kuvira.

“You didn’t notice before?” she laughs, “Yeah, I’m a combustion bender.”

Kuvira squints at her, a bit bothered by her cheerful attitude while in the midst of such a scene. She looks away and lets go of P’Li’s hand, walking right next to her instead.

They both quietly continued through the prison. P’Li was particularly light on her feet, Kuvira noticed, just like her. She walked with power and precision. Occasionally, she would glance over at Kuvira. Kuvira tried to avoid making eye contact with her, which P’Li noticed, and looked away. Their footsteps echoed through the hall, bolstering the emptiness of the room. Kuvira decided to break the silence.

“Why did you come for me…” Kuvira utters. She looks straight ahead, clearing her throat after she speaks. P’Li punches her shoulder playfully.

“ _ She speaks! _ Look at you-” 

“Can you tone it down?” Kuvira winces and glares at P’Li, eyebrows furrowed as she approaches the exit.

“Sorry, being  _ toned down _ is not really my style,” she gestures to the damage, “as you can see.” Kuvira grunts in response and rolls her eyes, pressing her lips together. 

“Right well-” Before Kuvira can continue, P’Li’s attention sharpens to some unknown entity. She looks around the room to find the source, bracing herself.

P’Li suddenly shifts her gaze to the door and quickly pulls Kuvira back. She covers her mouth and pulls them both against the wall. Kuvira looks up at P’Li in protest but is caught off guard by her sudden shift in demeanor. She held Kuvira tightly against her chest, leaning forward ever so slightly; her nails curled into the thin fabric of Kuvira’s shirt. P’Li looked accusingly at the door. She appeared to be listening for something, or she heard something that Kuvira didn’t.

“Don’t speak,” she whispers. 

Kuvira’s eyes widened. She looked attentively for anything suspicious but saw nothing. P’Li gripped tighter and remained terribly still. The sounds of footsteps and distant laughter got closer. P’Li’s eyes followed the sound as the voices passed the door and walked off. Before long, their voices fade away and P’Li loosens her grip on Kuvira. She maintains a whisper and crouches down, pulling Kuvira down with her.

“Okay listen. You have a very recognizable face, and if they see you walking out of here, you’re done.” P’Li reaches into a small bag she had carried, taking out a hair tie and a chained piece of cloth. 

“It’s not much but, it’s all I got. Put on this mask and let me tie up your hair-” Kuvira raises her eyebrows and peers at P’Li, flashing a disapproving, toothy scowl.

“Why would I let you touch me? You think I can’t do this myself?” P’Li frowns and rolls her eyes.

“It’ll be quicker if I do it. When's the last time you tied your hair? Is it really that serious?”

“You say that like I didn't just kill that guard,” Kuvira’s lips play at a smirk, though she mostly hides it, “but if you insist, I suppose.” P’Li gives an annoyed grin and laces the band around her fingers.

She sets Kuvira down, brushing her hair off her shoulders and petting the loose strands behind her ears. Her hand brushes against the side of Kuvira’s head, then underneath, as she funnels all her hair into a single mass. As she had claimed, she makes quick work of putting it up into a messy bun, almost impressively so. P’Li pulls at some strands and lets them hang in front of Kuvira’s face. Kuvira had closed her eyes, focusing on the light and delicate brushes her hands made against her skin. 

It made her heart rush.

“There…” P’Li sits back on her legs and examines her work. “That wasn’t so bad now was it. You look good. Let me put your mask on for you-”

“I can-” Kuvira began to protest, but P’Li had already gone ahead. She leans forward, stringing the golden chain around her head. She seemed to have a bit of trouble keeping it secure, prompting her to get a little too far into Kuvira’s space, but resolved her struggle quickly. After she secures the chain, she rests it on her ears and sits back once again.

“Alright. I’m not gonna touch your face, so you can pull up the mask,  _ your majesty _ .” 

Kuvira scoffs and affixes the mask against her nose. 

“Hm…” P’Li looks Kuvira up and down, “You look sort of unrecognizable, but your mole may give it away.”

“Oh right, as if walking around with a 6’8 combustion bender isn’t suspicious enough.” P’Li rolls her eyes in response, exhaling out her nose a bit. Kuvira fishes the metal she pulled from the guard out of her pocket. She bends it into something crudely representing a spider web and plasters it to her face. It outlined the rim of her eye, making her face look sharp and fierce. It covered her mole, just as requested.

P’Li’s voice hitches in her throat a bit. She says nothing at first before slowly nodding. She quickly diverts her attention away from Kuvira. She gets up, offering to help Kuvira who ends up rejecting it anyways.

P’Li swiftly ties up her own hair before putting a headband on to cover her tattoo. She also wore a mask, which surprisingly hid her face really well. She cautiously opened the door, beckoning Kuvira to make haste as they sped past the immediate surroundings of the prison. 

Kuvira winced at the shining sun. She gasps at the overwhelming amount of stimuli she's hit with. The sun, the air, the outdoorsy smell- she gets lost in the beauty of  _ outside _ . She stumbles a bit, slowing down her pace as she looks up at the sky, blue and bright and full of life. Her eyes widened at this, baffled that something like this was taken away from her for 6 years. P’Li notices Kuvira lagging and turns back, annoyed.

“HEY, you can look at the sun all you want  _ later _ , we need to GO.” P’Li grabs her hand forcefully, quickly weaving them both through a thicket of trees. Kuvira snaps out of her daze, now angered by P’Li’s bold gesture.

“ _ I don’t know who you think you are _ . You can’t just  _ handle _ me like this.” Kuvira clenched her jaw as she was carefully pulled around by P’Li. P’Li deftly stops, propelling Kuvira forward a bit. She turns on her heel, her presence hovering over Kuvira’s. She furrows her brows and grabs Kuvira’s jaw.

“I don’t have time for your bitching. Unless you want to get killed, please let me  _ help you _ . I can  _ handle _ you properly if this is too much for you.” 

Kuvira’s heart stops. Her mouth goes dry as she looks up at P’Li’s powerful gaze. The immensity of her height was really in full effect here; it was incredibly intimidating. P’Li’s face was full of discontent. Despite such a frightening display, Kuvira couldn’t let herself seem weak, she couldn’t be talked down like that. She peers, pulling down her mask to flash a knowing grin at P’Li.

“ _ Handle _ me? You may have misunderstood my words, but I’m  _ flattered. _ ” She raises an eyebrow and watches P’Li’s expression falter. P’Li dismissively lets go of her jaw and gestures for Kuvira to follow her, obviously annoyed.

Kuvira noted her reaction.

\-------------

P’Li had taken them to an out-of-the-way hotel to stay for the night. She hadn’t explained her intentions to Kuvira- frankly, their trip was mostly silent. P’Li had handed a hefty amount of money to the clerk, telling them to be quiet about them being here. It seemed to work pretty effectively. 

P’Li walked quickly, in general. She wasted no time getting up to the room. The lock was being troublesome, which she didn’t seem to be bothered by, ironically. Kuvira lingered behind her, making note of all these things she was noticing. She figured that P’Li didn’t like to be inefficient, how she was very focused, almost to a fault, she presumed. She watched her fiddle with the lock some more before successfully opening it. P’Li stooped under the door to enter.

Kuvira’s eyes widened.

‘She’s fucking  _ tall _ …’

P’Li sprawled out on the bed and sighed. Kuvira sat down on the floor, pushing her head against the wall and closing her eyes. She pulled the metal off her face and affixed it around her neck.

“So.” Kuvira sighed as well before slinting her eyes open, just barely, “Why did you come for me again?” She propped her arm on her knee, looking patiently at P’Li. The air between them became more tense, more suspicious. Kuvira knew that  _ P’Li knew _ that she wasn’t someone to mess with. She had confidence in her abilities, and if this tension said anything, it was how Kuvira would not hesitate to stand her ground if necessary.

P’Li sat up and glanced back at Kuvira. She didn’t respond. Kuvira narrowed her sharp eyes and let her cracked, dark voice paint the walls of the room.

“Now, I’m not sure if you heard me, but I asked you a  _ question _ . I do hope you could answer it,” She inhales briefly before picking at the metal collar, “If your intentions with me, or with my power, are in any way  _ harmful,  _ consider yourself  _ dead _ .” Kuvira's final words drip off her tongue, much to P’Li’s surprise. This shift in demeanor was expected, but she didn’t expect it to be so... powerful.

“You don’t have to act so big and bold,  _ Kuvira _ . I’m well aware that you’re powerful, that's why I came for you.” P’Li pulled her mask down and ran a hand through her hair. “My friends and I, we are just like you. Powerful benders who got locked up, over  _ nothing _ .” She bites her lip and looks out the window, crossing her arms around her knees.

“People are just, they're just afraid of us. So they contain what they don’t understand. They took  _ 13 years _ of my life over their fear. If you’re interested, we could help you with anything you want, whether it's revenge or just...a safe place. Whatever you want.” She shoots a burning look at Kuvira who raises a questioning eyebrow in response. 

“But it’s okay, because they’re all gone now. They’ve all withered away, I got my revenge- my  _ justice _ \- and I just want to offer a helping hand to someone like me, if you accept.” She smirks- a suspiciously pulled smile. Kuvira doesn’t break eye contact. She pushes her shoulders back, carefully examining the taller woman. She feels a corrupted sense of deceit emanating off of her, but despite this, she feels that she is  _ mostly _ being genuine. Kuvira stands up and walks to the edge of the bed. She leans in towards P’Li, delicately holding her jaw, angling it up towards her face.

“Bring me to your friends and then I’ll make my decision. I’ll make sure to behave for you this time, alright?” A quiet laugh escapes from her chest, she draws a lone finger away from her jaw and lets go. P’Li laughs and slaps her hand away.

“You’re super fucking touchy. But okay, it’s a deal. I’m sure you’ll love to meet them. And by the way,” P’Li snaps her fingers and lets a flame get dangerously close to Kuvira’s jaw, “Touch my jaw again and I’ll burn that hand.” 

Kuvira’s breath hitches. She presses her lips and looks back up at P’Li’s eyes.

“Understood.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> projecting on fictional characters dot exe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gay ppl read this

P’Li had left the room maybe 20 minutes ago. She had said she had to go “retrieve” something from a “friend” and that she wouldn’t be gone long. She gave Kuvira no inkling of what it might be, but she left winking at her.

Ugh.

P’Li had been so difficult to figure out. She was an equal mix of intimidating and breakable and  _ ridiculous _ . Kuvira found it painful to try to guess how she would ever act. She was so- inconsistent. One moment she would be threatening her, Kuvira’s jaw in her hand, then the next she would be poking fun at her. It was maddening- it was  _ annoying _ . Maybe that’s what she was, just, absolutely annoying. Kuvira couldn’t figure if she was just generally annoyed with everyone, considering she was practically isolated for over half a decade, or if P’Li just knew how to bother her. She, at least, could determine that P’Li was mildly empathetic to her situation, so maybe she was trying to be  _ nice _ . 

Overall, it was just a mess to figure out.

Kuvira had been leaned up against the wall, arms crossed over her chest while she blankly stared into nothing. She felt a little less tense with P’Li gone at the moment. Being alone granted her the freedom to daydream without restraint. She hadn’t realized how normalized the habit became to her. Sometimes, it was a bit difficult to focus on P’Li’s words, considering she would slip into her own head in the middle of her stories. Being bombarded with so much stimulus was frankly- overwhelming. Kuvira furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip in response to the thought. Her? Being overwhelmed? That wasn’t acceptable.

She would always be level headed.

She brushed the thought away and lazily closed her eyes. She slid down the wall, pushing the heel of her boot into the carpet. With an exhale, she let herself drift into her daydream.

_ Kuvira was standing alone in a massive room, alone to witness its ornate features by herself, alone to do as she pleased. The room was bright with golds and creams; they warmed her skin and glittered against the shine of her armor. There was a neatly made, but plain, bed in the center of the room. She glances to her left, seeing several shelves anchored to the wall full of miniature metal figurines. One of herself, one of her friends. There were abstract sculptures in the corners of the room, thin and delicate. She looks behind her, spotting a vanity full of luxury perfumes and lotions. Kuvira makes her way to the vanity, inspecting the long forgotten perfumes, trying to remember their scents. _

_ Only one appeared to her clearly, her favorite scent, lavender. The rest of the bottles were caught up in a grain, a static that she couldn't push away. Her hands trace along the sharp edges of the bottle, embracing the cool touch of the glass. _

_ Her eyes soften, she glances to the side, spotting her gloves. She goes to reach for them and- _

A loud thud from outside the room forces Kuvira out of the daydream. She stares at the door with intent, listening out for any potential threats. Her eyes widen, her face stiff. Her heartbeat quickens as she tightens her grip in defense. She desperately tries to ground herself, refusing to be caught off guard by anyone.

She refuses to be beaten.

She straightened her back and pressed the tips of her fingers against the floor, listening for any metal that could be clattering around. She tries to sense the presence of a person, waiting and watching for any sudden movements. 

She clenched her jaw. Suyin had taught her this, back when she pretended to care. Kuvira battles the memories of her and Suyin practicing metalbending in the courtyard. How kuvira would always launch the space rock right at her forehead, how Suyin would get upset, but they would both laugh- just briefly. She would teach her how to  _ wait _ and  _ listen _ while earthbending, a technique she learned from her own mother. At the time, Kuvira thought she was special for being able to learn such a skill.

Lies. She was just a trophy to Suyin.

She shakes her head and refocuses on the situation at hand. Her heart calmed a bit, but she continued to wait.

But nothing happened.

She loses herself while staring at the door. Her hands loosen a bit before she fully takes them off the ground. Her breath hitches a bit. When she ultimately decides she’s safe, she leans back on the wall, easing back into the vague sense of relaxation she comforted moments before. She floats back into a daydream, although this time, she is increasingly more aware of her surroundings. She slightly shifts her gaze to the bottom of the door, her eyes going out of focus as she does so.

_ She imagines herself pulling her glove on in her old- home. She picks at the ends of the fingertips, adjusting the fit of the glove before pulling it back down. Kuvira looks at herself in a tall mirror, although she can’t see above her nose. Her vibrant green uniform was crisp, clean. She laughed a bit to herself, she always loved how powerful it made her look. Her braid cascades down against her chest, dangling playfully just above her hips.  _

_ Kuvira surveyed her braid, not breaking eye contact with it. Her fingers twitched, her mouth taut and crooked. She pursed her lips together. She found herself playing with the end of the braid, pressing it between her fingers a little too forcefully. For a moment, she just stared. She looked at the neat braid in her hands, then back at the powerful, bold look of her apparel. The metal shoulder pads, the ringlets around her biceps, her perfectly secure belt. _

_ And yet, this braid was here. She frowned, twisting the end of the braid over and over until it started to undo itself, until the friction against her gloves rubbed against her skin, teasing a sensation of burning. In a very restrained yet frantic way, Kuvira runs her middle and index finger up the center of the braid, unravelling it, revealing the mess of her hair. She felt a tightness in her chest, a frustration growing and festering. She loosened the rest of her hair, watching as the locks and frays fell lightly against her armor. Her right hand found her wrist, gripping so tightly against it that her pulse began to throb against her thumb. _

_ ‘Ugly’ _

_ Her words sounded muted, as if her mouth was full of cotton, her ears covered by cloth. She despised it. She hated her braid. She marches to the other side of the room, closing the curtains of the multi-story building she was in. She looks into the dressers vanity, her face out of sight yet again. _

Kuvira anxiously cracked her knuckles

_ She fixed her hair into her usual bun, but it was just as dissatisfying. Just as painful. They all reminded her of something she did, someone she knew, something bad and something unforgivable. She would never be this version of herself again. She couldn’t wear the innocence of her braid, or the strength of her bun, or even the pity of her flowing hair, down and left untouched. _

_ And she used to love her hair. _

Kuvira lost track of the time. As she lingered in her daydream, often replaying scenes in her head, she found herself becoming genuinely worked up. Her throat felt choked up, her hands gripped against the plush of the carpet, pulling and picking at the loose strands. She ran her hands against the grain of the carpet, which surprisingly, was rather soothing. Not before long, she was sharply and  _ quickly _ interrupted by P’Li’s sudden return.

“ _ I’m back~! _ ” P’Li had been dressed in a incredibly black outfit. She was nearly unrecognizable, not considering her height. She closed the door and pulled off her mask. 

“I have a gift for you. I’m sure you’ll like it. It was hell to get but I mean-” P’Li glances at Kuvira mid sentence, then stops. Kuvira’s eyes were widened, her face red, and totally still. P’Li raised a questioning eyebrow at her, awkwardly glancing away.

“Are you okay? You look freaked.” Kuvira says nothing and just looks down at her hand, embarrassed to have been caught daydreaming, although P’Li probably didn’t notice to begin with.

“Okay...anyways, I got you something so you should open it”. P’Li sits on the floor with Kuvira, sliding a decently sized box against Kuvira's feet. Kuvira looked down at the box, which looked...questionably dirty, and back up at P’Li. She flashed a face of apprehension, to which P’Li eagerly gestured to the box in response.

Kuvira sighed and cracked open the latches along the box. Her eyes skimmed the contents before she  _ realized _ what was inside. A smile cracked away from Kuvira’s face. Inside was pieces of armor,  _ metal _ pieces that were a solid, charcoal black, dusted and lined with a brilliant red. Kuvira ran her fingers across it, gasping quietly in surprise.

“It’s light, but strong.” P’Li smiled in response, pointing to the armor as Kuvira lifted it.

“I got it made that way so you could use it more freely, you know? I figured maybe you would want to hide your armor but still wear it. I’m not sure how metal bending works but you do seem to be pretty agile, so I wouldn’t want you to get slowed down.”

Kuvira quickly licked her lips and flashed a toothy grin, “I like how you think.”

Something about this felt new. It felt like it was hers, and hers alone. Something about this armor gave her a new and greater sense of  _ control _ . She had to try it on immediately.

Kuvira stood up, stepping over P’Li and moved towards the center of the hotel room. She placed the box at her feet then peered at P’Li. She smirked, “Watch this.”

Kuvira extended her arms outward pulling the armor onto her body with a magnetic-like force. She disassembled the pieces of the singular gauntlet, affixing them to her right arm. It was sharp, powerful-  _ metallic _ . Metal plates clasped around her other arm and thighs, while the shoulder pads gripped against the hard muscle. Several jagged plates layed against her back, creating a band around her waist as well.

She looked fucking awesome.

P’Li watched excitedly as Kuvira snapped on all of this armor, making it so  _ her _ . 

“You’re fucking HOT.” P’Li stood up and eagerly admired the way Kuvira literally bent the metal in her favor. She traced her fingers against the edges of her shoulder pads, laughing as Kuvira swatted away her hand.

“Right, and you’re a waterbender.”

P’Li chuckled and continued to admire the way the gear looked on her, “I’m just saying, you really made this  _ work _ . The singular gauntlet too, it looks like your whole arm is made of metal.”

Kuvira shifted, crossing her arms as she squinted at P’Li. The armor clinked as she moved, bodying a sense of power.

“Aren’t you excited. Do you want me to  _ thank you~ _ now?” Kuvira rolled her eyes playfully before looking away from P’Li. P’Li smirked, folding her arms behind her back and leaning right into Kuvira’s space.

“Yes I do. That’s what you get for being a show off anyways.” Kuvira let a breath of amusement escape her. She barely looked back at P’Li.

“....mmm, no,” P’Li scoffed.

“No?? Wow, you really are harsh.” Kuvira laughed and offered her hand up to P’Li.

“If you want me to thank you, then make me.”

Without a second passing, P’Li summoned a ball of fire in her hands, bringing it dangerously close to Kuvira’s hand. She let it fade away just as quickly, but her hands glowed a bright red. She circled them around Kuvira’s shaking hand, then ghosted them by her jaw.

Kuvira blinked, speechless at the gesture.

“You know you can threaten me back right?” P’Li responds. Kuvira was surprised to hear such a suggestion, but, if she insisted.

Kuvira arched her fingers, pinpointing all the iron in P’Li’s hand, pushing it back and away from her. She crept through her arm, moving it back to its original position behind P’Li’s back. She lets go of her control, stepping back before analyzing P’Li’s face.

P’Li was definitely taken by surprise, although not by the gesture itself.

“That felt- uncomfortable.” P’Li brought her arm back in front of her, twisting it, running her fingers along her forearm.

“I wouldn’t expect that to feel  _ good _ . It’s not a banned practice for no reason.” Kuvira squeezed her own wrist a bit, a bit guilty for having done that, to her own surprise, “But I didn’t really put much effort into that, so  _ you’re welcome _ for going easy on you.”

“Oh so I’m supposed to thank you? Huh?” 

“Of course. It’s not every day that I get to pity someone.”

“Oh literally fuck off.”

Kuvira laughs a bright, warm, soulful laugh. It warms her chest, filling her heart with a rush that can only be described as exhilarating. She partially covers her face, looking back up at P’Li, amused with her annoyance. She reaches threads her hand through her hair, almost undoing the bun.

Maybe being annoying was fun.


End file.
